Bearing device for crankshaft of internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a bearing device, including a crankshaft, a pair of half bearings each having crush reliefs adjacent to both circumferential ends thereof, a bearing housing having a retaining hole, and one half thrust bearing arranged adjacent to the retaining hole. Each half thrust bearing is configured at least by a bearing alloy layer and a resin slide layer which constitutes a slide surface receiving an axial force of the crankshaft, and thrust reliefs adjacent to both circumferential end portions of the sliding surface so that its wall thickness is made thinner toward the circumferential end surface. A thrust relief length at an inner end portion of the thrust relief positioned on a rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction is formed to be larger than a thrust relief length at an inner end portion of the thrust relief positioned on a front side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bearing device that receives an axial force of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine.

(2) Description of Related Art

A crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is rotatably supported, at its journal portion, by a lower part of a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine via a main bearing which is configured by assembling a pair of half bearings into a cylindrical shape.

One or both of the pair of half bearings is used to be combined with a half thrust bearing which receives an axial force of the crankshaft. The half thrust bearing is provided at one or both of axial end surfaces of the half bearing.

The half thrust bearing receives the axial force generated in the crankshaft. That is, the half thrust bearing is placed for the purpose of bearing the axial force applied to the crankshaft when the crankshaft is connected to a transmission via a clutch, for example.

On a sliding surface side of the half thrust bearing close to both circumferential ends thereof, thrust reliefs are formed so that a bearing member becomes thinner toward the respective circumferential end surfaces. In general, the thrust relief is formed so that a length from the circumferential end surface to the sliding surface of the half thrust bearing, and a depth at the circumferential end surface are constant irrespective of the position in a radial direction.

The thrust relief is formed in order to absorb misalignment of the end surfaces of the pair of half thrust bearings when mounting the half thrust bearings on a split type bearing housing (see FIG. 10 of JP-A-11-201145).

The crankshaft of the internal combustion engine is supported, at its journal portion, by the lower part of the cylinder block of the internal combustion engine via the main bearing consisting of the pair of half bearings. Here, lubrication oil is fed from an oil gallery in a wall of the cylinder block through a through hole in a wall of the main bearing into a lubrication oil groove formed along an inner circumferential surface of the main bearing. The lubrication oil is supplied to the lubrication oil groove of the main bearing in this manner, and then supplied to the half thrust bearings.

In general, a laminated structure in which an aluminium bearing alloy layer or a cupper bearing alloy layer is formed on one surface of a steel back metal is used for a thrust bearing which receives an axial force of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. Further, there is proposed a thrust bearing improved in conformability, fatigue resistance or load carrying capacity by applying a resin slide layer on the aluminium bearing alloy layer or the cupper bearing alloy layer (see JP-A-H07-238936). As a material used for the resin slide layer, there is a material in which a solid lubricant is added to a resin obtained by polymer-alloying a heat-resistant resin such as polyamide imide having high strength and excellent heat resistance with polyamide or the like (see JP-A-2008-308595).

Meanwhile, in recent years, oil pumps for supplying lubrication oil of internal combustion engines have been reduced in size, so that the amount of lubrication oil to be supplied to the bearings decreases. Accordingly, the amount of lubrication oil leaking through the end surfaces of the main bearing tends to decrease, and the amount of lubrication oil supplied to the half thrust bearings also tends to decrease. To address this, there is proposed an art for improving retainability of lubrication oil by forming a plurality of narrow grooves in parallel on the sliding surfaces of the half thrust bearings, for example (see JP-A-2001-323928).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Further, in recent years, crankshafts have been reduced in diameter for reducing the weight of internal combustion engines, so that the rigidity of the crankshafts becomes low. Accordingly, the crankshaft tends to deform easily during operation of the internal combustion engine, and the vibration of the crankshaft tends to become large. As a result, the sliding surface near a circumferentially central portion of the half thrust bearing tends to directly contact with a thrust collar surface of the crankshaft, so that damage easily occurs on a surface of a resin slide layer constituting the slide surface of the half thrust bearing.

JP-A-2001-323928 discloses a configuration in which the oil grooves are provided on the sliding surface to supply the lubrication oil to almost the entire bearing surface. However, even if adopting the art of JP-A-2001-323928, it is difficult to prevent the sliding surface, particularly adjacent to the thrust relief on a rear side of the half thrust bearing in a crankshaft rotational direction from contacting with the thrust collar of the crankshaft if the vibration of the crankshaft due to the deformation is large as above. Therefore, there has been a possibility that damage occurs in the sliding surface of the half thrust bearing.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a bearing device for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, in which the damage hardly occurs during operation of the internal combustion engine.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bearing device (1) for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, including:

a crankshaft;

a pair of half bearings (7, 7) for supporting a journal portion of the crankshaft, crush reliefs (73, 73) being formed on an inner circumferential surface of each half bearing and adjacent to both circumferential ends of the half bearing;

a bearing housing (4) having a retaining hole (5) for retaining the pair of half bearings, the retaining hole being formed to penetrate through the bearing housing; and

one half thrust bearing (8) having a semi-annular shape that is arranged adjacent to the retaining hole on each axial end surface of the bearing housing, each half thrust bearing (8) being configured by a bearing alloy layer (16) and a resin slide layer (18), or by a back metal layer (14), a bearing alloy layer (16) and a resin slide layer (18), the resin slide layer (18) constituting a slide surface (81) which receives an axial force of the crankshaft, wherein at least one of the half thrust bearings includes thrust reliefs (82F, 82R) on a front side and a rear side in a crankshaft rotational direction, the thrust reliefs being arranged adjacent to both circumferential end portions of a sliding surface (81) receiving an axial force of the crankshaft, and being formed so that a wall thickness of the half thrust bearing is made thinner toward the circumferential end surfaces of the thrust bearing, and

a length (L2) at a radially inner end portion of the thrust relief (82R) positioned on the rear side of the half thrust bearing in the crankshaft rotational direction is larger than a length (L1) at a radially inner end portion of the thrust relief (82F) positioned on the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction.

Here, the crankshaft is a member including a journal portion, a crankpin portion, and a crank arm portion. While the half thrust bearing is a member having a shape obtained by dividing an annular shape into approximately halves, it is not intended to be strictly half.

The bearing device for a crankshaft of the present invention receives an axial force of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. A thrust relief length at an inner end portion of a thrust relief positioned on a rear side in a crankshaft rotational direction is formed so as to be longer than a thrust relief length at an inner end portion of a thrust relief positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction. By this configuration, lubrication oil flowing out of crush reliefs of a pair of half bearings easily flows into a thrust relief clearance formed by the thrust relief positioned on the rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction, and hardly flows into a thrust relief clearance formed by the thrust relief positioned on the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction, so that a large amount of the lubrication oil is fed to the sliding surface of the thrust bearing. Accordingly, even when the deformation of the crankshaft is generated during the operation of the internal combustion engine and therefore the vibration becomes large, a sliding surface of the thrust bearing hardly comes into direct contact with a thrust collar surface of the crankshaft, so that damage of a surface on the resin slide layer constituting the sliding surface of the half thrust bearing hardly occurs. Further, according to this configuration, a load capability is high since the area of the sliding surface of the thrust bearing is not reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bearing device;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a half thrust bearing of embodiment 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the half thrust bearing of embodiment 1;

FIG. 4A is a side view of a thrust relief of the half thrust bearing in FIG. 3 seen in the direction of arrow Y1;

FIG. 4B is a side view of a thrust relief of the half thrust bearing in FIG. 3 seen in the direction of arrow Y2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a bearing device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bearing device;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a half thrust bearing of embodiment 2;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a half thrust bearing of embodiment 3;

FIG. 9 is an end view of a half thrust bearing in FIG. 8 seen in the direction of arrow Y3, illustrating a circumferential end surface of a thrust relief positioned on a rear side in a crankshaft rotational direction;

FIG. 10 is an end view of a half thrust bearing in FIG. 8 seen in the direction of arrow Y4, illustrating a circumferential end surface of a thrust relief positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction;

FIG. 11 is a front view of a half thrust bearing of embodiment 4;

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a circumferential end surface of a thrust relief positioned on a rear side of the half thrust bearing in FIG. 11 in the crankshaft rotational direction seen in the direction of arrow Y5;

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a circumferential end surface of a thrust relief positioned on a front side of the half thrust bearing in FIG. 11 in the crankshaft rotational direction, seen in the direction of arrow Y6;

FIG. 14 is a side view of a thrust relief positioned on a rear side of a half thrust bearing in the crankshaft rotational direction of another embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a front view of a half thrust bearing of another embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a front view of a thrust bearing of another embodiment;

FIG. 17A is a front view of half bearings and a half thrust bearing for explaining operation of the embodiment;

FIG. 17B is a view showing an inner side of the half bearings and the half thrust bearing in FIG. 17A as seen from the inside in a radial direction;

FIG. 18 is a front view of a half bearing; and

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the half bearing in FIG. 18, seen from the inside in a radial direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 (General Configuration of Bearing Device)

First, a description will be given for a general configuration of a bearing device 1 having a half thrust bearing 8 of the present invention, using FIGS. 1, 5, and 6. As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, a bearing housing 4 configured by attaching a bearing cap 3 to a lower part of a cylinder block 2 has a bearing hole 5 which is a circular hole penetrating between side surfaces of the cylinder block 2 and the bearing cap 3. The side surfaces of the cylinder block 2 have seats 6, which are semi-annular recesses, on the periphery of the bearing hole 5. Half bearings 7 and 7 are assembled in a cylindrical shape and fitted into the bearing hole 5. The half bearings 7 and 7 rotatably support a journal portion 11 of a crankshaft which rotates in one direction. A half thrust bearing 8 is fitted into the seat 6. The half thrust bearing 8 receives an axial force f (see FIG. 6) via a thrust collar 12 of the crankshaft. An axial length of the bearing cap 3 is larger than an axial length of the cylinder block 2 at a position of the seat 5, so that both circumferential end surfaces of the half thrust bearing 8 are adapted to be in contact with a split surface of the bearing cap 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, a lubrication oil groove 71 is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the half bearing 7 (the upper one) on a side of the cylinder block 2 of the half bearings 7 constituting a main bearing, and a through hole 72 is formed to penetrate the half bearing 7 from the lubrication oil groove 71 to an outer circumferential surface (also see FIGS. 18 and 19). It is to be noted that the lubrication oil groove may be formed on both of the upper and lower half bearings.

Further, each half bearing 7 has crush reliefs 73 and 73 on both ends thereof adjacent to abutment surfaces of the half bearings 7 (see FIG. 5). The crush reliefs 73 are wall-thickness reduction regions formed so that a wall thickness of a region adjacent to circumferential end surfaces of the half bearing 7 is gradually reduced toward the circumferential end surface. The crush reliefs 73 are formed for absorbing misalignment and deformation of abutment surfaces when assembling the pair of half bearings 7 and 7.

(Configuration of Half Thrust Bearing)

Next, the configuration of the half thrust bearing 8 of embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. The half thrust bearing 8 is formed by, first, forming a semi-annular shaped flat plate from a bimetal obtained by bonding a thin bearing alloy layer 16 to a steel back metal layer 14, and then forming a resin slide layer 18 on the bearing alloy layer 16. The half thrust bearing 8 includes a sliding surface 81 (bearing surface) at a central region that is a surface configured by the resin slide layer 18, and thrust reliefs 82R and 82F at regions adjacent to end surfaces 83 and 83 on both circumferential sides of the half thrust bearing 8. In order to improve retainability of the lubrication oil, two oil grooves 81 a and 81 a are formed between the opposite thrust reliefs 82R and 82F on the sliding surface 81.

The resin slide layer 18 is formed of a resin binder and a solid lubricant. While known resins may be used as a resin binder, it is preferable to use one or more of polyamide imide, polyimide and polybenzimidazole with high heat-resistance. Further, the resin binder may be a resin composition obtained by mixing a high heat-resistant resin consisting of one or more of polyamide imide, polyimide and polybenzimidazole and a resin of 1 to 25 vol. % consisting of one or more of polyamide, epoxy and polyether sulfone, or a resin composition obtained by polymer-alloying them. As a solid lubricant, it is possible to use molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, graphite, polytetrafluorethylene, boron nitride or the like. The ratio of addition of the solid lubricant to the resin slide layer is preferably 20 to 80 vol. %. In order to improve wear resistance of the resin slide layer, hard particles made of a ceramic material, an intermetallic compound or the like may be contained in the ratio of 0.1 to 10 vol. %

to the resin slide layer.

For forming the resin slide layer 18 on a slide surface side of the half thrust bearing 8, a composition of the resin slide layer diluted with an organic solvent is applied onto the bearing alloy layer 16 of the half thrust bearing by a spray method, the organic solvent is dried by heating, and then the resin composition is baked by heating. However, the forming method of the resin slide layer 18 is not limited to the spray method, and the resin slide layer 18 may be formed by another common method such as a roll coat method, a print method or the like.

It will be understood that a resin slide material having the same composition as the resin slide layer may be applied not only onto the slide surface 81 receiving the axial force of the crankshaft but also onto a surface of the thrust relief 82, a surface of the oil groove 81 a, an outer radial surface of the half thrust bearing, an inner radial surface thereof, and the like. For example, in embodiments 1 to 4 described below, the resin slide material is applied also onto the surfaces of the thrust reliefs 82, 82 of the half thrust bearing 8, and the surfaces of the oil grooves 81 a, 81 a.

The thickness of the resin slide layer 18 is 1 to 30 μm, preferably 2 to 20 μm, and more preferably 3 to 8 μm.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F are wall-thickness reduction regions formed adjacent to end surfaces of the sliding surface 81 on both circumferential sides so that the wall thickness is gradually reduced toward the end surface of the half thrust bearing 8. The thrust reliefs 82R and 82F are formed over the entire radial length of the circumferential end surfaces 83 of the half thrust bearing 8. The thrust reliefs 82R and 82F are formed to alleviate misalignment between the circumferential end surface 83 of the thrust bearing 8 and an end surface of the bearing cap that are to be in contact with each other, that may be caused by misalignment and the like between end surfaces of the respective split type bearing housings 2 and 3 when mounting the half thrust bearing 8 on the split type bearing housing 4.

The surfaces of the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F are configured by flat surfaces in embodiment 1, but may be configured by curved surfaces (FIG. 13). In the case of flat surfaces, the surfaces may be configured by a single flat surface, or by combining a plurality of flat surfaces. Also in the case of curved surfaces, the surface may be configured by a single curved surface, or by combining a plurality of curved surfaces. Further, the surface of each thrust reliefs 82R and 82F may be configured by combining a flat surface and a curved surface (FIG. 12).

As will be understood from FIGS. 3 and 5, when the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment is mounted on the bearing housing 4 of the bearing device 1, a thrust relief length L2 at an inner end portion of the thrust relief 82R on a side of the circumferential end surface 83 which is assembled so as to be positioned on a rear side in the rotational direction of the crankshaft rotating in one direction (hereinafter, referred to as “rear side thrust relief”) is formed to differ from, and longer than a thrust relief length L1 at an inner end portion of the thrust relief 82F on a side of the circumferential end surface 83 positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction (hereinafter, referred to as “front side thrust relief”). Here, in embodiment 1, the thrust relief length of the rear side thrust relief 82R and the thrust relief length of the front side thrust relief 82F are formed to be constant between the inner end portion and an outer end portion.

Here, the “thrust relief length” means a length measured vertically from a plane (imaginary dividing plane H) passing through both end surfaces 83 and 83 of the one half thrust bearing 8 to the other end of the thrust relief (FIG. 3). More specifically, the thrust relief lengths L1 and L2 at the inner end portion are respectively defined as lengths from the imaginary dividing plane H to the points where the surfaces of the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R intersect the inner circumferential edge of the sliding surface 81.

Further, the “thrust relief positioned on a rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction” means the thrust relief 82R of the thrust reliefs at both circumferential end portions of one half thrust bearing 8, that firstly passes through any point on the thrust collar 12 of the rotating crankshaft, and the “thrust relief positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction ” means the thrust relief 82F which secondly passes through the point.

FIG. 4A shows a side near the circumferential end surface 83 on the rear side of the half thrust bearing 8 in the crankshaft rotational direction seen from the inner side (in the direction of arrow Y1 in FIG. 3). FIG. 4B shows a side near the other circumferential end surface 83 on the front side of the thrust bearing 8 in the crankshaft rotational direction seen from the inner side (in the direction of arrow Y2 in FIG. 3).

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the portion of the sliding surface 81 has a thickness t. The surfaces of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8 have the same thrust relief depth RD at the circumferential end surfaces. In embodiment 1, the thrust relief depth RD of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R at the circumferential end surfaces is constant also between the inner end portion and the outer end portion in the radial direction.

Here, the “thrust relief depth” means an axial distance from a plane containing the sliding surface 81 of the half thrust bearing 8 to the surface of the thrust relief. In other words, the thrust relief depth is a distance measured vertically from an imaginary sliding surface obtained by extending the sliding surface 81 over the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R. Hence, the thrust relief depth RD at the circumferential end surface is defined as an axial distance from the surface of the thrust relief at the circumferential end surface of the half thrust bearing 8 to the imaginary sliding surface.

As specific dimensions of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R, the thrust relief depth RD at the circumferential end surface of the half thrust bearing 8 from the sliding surface 81 to the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R may be 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, for example, when the thrust bearing is used for a crankshaft of a small internal combustion engine for a passenger car and the like (in which a journal portion diameter is about 30 to 100 mm). It is to be noted that the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R have the same thrust relief depth RD. The thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F at the inner end portion may be 1 mm to 5 mm, and the thrust relief length L2 of the rear side thrust relief 82R at the inner end portion may be 5 mm to 25 mm. It is to be noted that the above dimensions are merely examples, and the dimensions are not limited to these ranges.

The foregoing numerical ranges of the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F and the thrust relief length L2 of the rear side thrust relief 82R are partially overlapped with each other. However, this is because the larger the bearing is, the longer the thrust relief length needs to be. Accordingly, the thrust relief lengths L1 and L2 should satisfy the relation L2>L1 within their respective numerical ranges.

As shown in FIG. 8, the rear side thrust relief is preferably formed within a range of a circumferential angle θ1 of 25° or less from the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8, and the front side thrust relief is preferably formed within a range of a circumferential angle θ2 of 5° or less from the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8.

(Operation)

Next, the operation of the bearing device 1 of the embodiment will be described, using FIGS. 5, 6, 17A, and 17B.

(Oil Supply Operation)

In the bearing device 1, the lubrication oil discharged by pressurized from an oil pump (not shown) passes an internal oil passage of the cylinder block 2 and the through hole 72 penetrating the wall of the half bearing 7, and is supplied to the lubrication oil groove 71 on the inner circumferential surface of the half bearing 7. The lubrication oil supplied into the lubrication oil groove 71 is partly supplied to the inner circumferential surface of the half bearing 7, partly fed through an opening (not shown) for an internal oil passage of the crankshaft provided on a surface of the journal portion toward a crankpin, and further, partly passes through a clearance between the surface of the crush reliefs 73 of the pair of half bearings 7 and 7 forming the main bearing and the surface of the journal portion 11 of the crankshaft to flow from both axial ends of the half bearings 7 and 7 to the outside.

In the embodiment, the half bearings 7 are arranged concentrically with the half thrust bearing 8, and a plane containing both circumferential end surfaces of the half bearings 7 constituting the main bearing is made parallel to a plane containing both circumferential end surfaces of the half thrust bearing 8, so that the positions of the crush reliefs 73 correspond to those of the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R.

In addition to the relation between the thrust relief length L1 and the thrust relief length L2, the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment has the following relation to the half bearing 7.

That is to say, in the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, the thrust relief length L2 of the rear side thrust relief 82R at the inner end portion is longer than the crush relief length CL of the crush relief 73 of the corresponding half bearing 7.

In addition, in the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F at the inner end portion is shorter than the crush relief length CL (FIG. 18) of the crush relief 73 of the corresponding half bearing 7.

Here, the “crush relief length CL” of the crush relief 73 means a length of the crush relief 73 disposed correspondingly to the position of the rear side thrust relief 82R or the position of the front side thrust relief 82F at the axial end portion on the side where the half thrust bearing 8 is provided (FIG. 5). In particular, the crush relief length CL is expressed by, when the half bearing 7 is placed on a horizontal surface such that both circumferential end surfaces 74 and 74 become a lower end surface, a height from the horizontal surface to an upper edge of the crush relief 73 (FIG. 18). It is to be noted that the crush reliefs 73 at both circumferential end portions of the half bearing 7 have the same crush relief length. Alternatively, unlike the embodiment, the crush relief length of the crush reliefs 73 of the half bearing 7 may be varied in the axil direction of the half bearing 7.

As specific dimensions of the crush relief 73 of the half bearing 7, a depth of the crush relief 73 at the end surface 74 measured from an imaginary extended surface obtained by extending the sliding surface 75 over the crush relief is 0.01 to 0.1 mm, and the crush relief length CL is 3 to 7 mm when used for a crankshaft (in which a journal portion diameter is about 30 to 100 mm) of a small internal combustion engine for a passenger car, for example.

Also, the thrust relief length L2 of the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8 at the inner end portion preferably satisfies the formula: L2≧1.5×CL with respect to the crush relief length CL of the crush relief of the correspondingly positioned half bearing 7. Further, the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F of the half thrust bearing 8 at the inner end portion preferably satisfies the formula: L1≦1.5×CL with respect to the crush relief length CL of the crush relief 73 of the correspondingly positioned half bearing 7.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described.

Immediately after flowing out of the clearance between the crush reliefs of the half bearings 7, the lubrication oil flows toward a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction from the position of a circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8 as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B (dashed arrow) due to an inertial force causing the oil to move on the front side in the rotational direction of the crankshaft 11 because the lubrication oil has circumferentially flown with the surface of the journal portion of the rotating crankshaft.

In the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, the thrust relief length L2 at the radial inner end portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R is longer than the thrust relief length L1 at the radial inner end portion of the front side thrust relief 82F. According to the configuration, the lubrication oil flown out of the crush relief clearance of the half bearings 7 and then flowing toward the front side in the rotational direction of the crankshaft 11 relative to the position of the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8 flows into the thrust relief clearance S at the inner end portion of the half thrust bearing 8 in large amounts, and is then fed to the sliding surface 81. Here, the “thrust relief clearance S” means a clearance surrounded by the surface of the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8, an imaginary surface obtained by extending the sliding surface 81 over the surface of the rear side thrust relief 82R, and a plane containing the circumferential end surfaces of the half thrust bearing 8 (see FIG. 17B).

More specifically, the lubrication oil in the crush relief clearance of the half bearing 7 is fed toward the front side in the journal rotational direction with the surface of the journal. However, since the volume of the crush relief clearance becomes smaller toward the front side in the journal rotational direction, the amount of the lubrication oil flowing out of the crush relief clearance to the outside becomes large at this small volume region. Here, if the crush relief length is shorter than the thrust relief length on the rear side, the lubrication oil flowing out of the small volume region flows into the thrust relief clearance of the rear side thrust relief 82R more easily (see FIGS. 17A and 17B).

The lubrication oil flowing out of the crush relief clearances of the half bearings 7 and flowing forward the front side in the rotational direction of the crankshaft 11 beyond the position of the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8 partly flows into a clearance formed by the inner circumferential surface of the half thrust bearing 8, the surface of the journal portion 11 of the crankshaft, the thrust collar surface 12 of the crankshaft, and an axial end surface of the half bearing (see FIGS. 17A and 17B). The lubrication oil flowing into the clearance is fed forward the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction with the thrust collar surface of the rotating crankshaft, then flows into the thrust relief clearance of the front side thrust relief 82F of the half thrust bearing 8, and is discharged to the outside.

In the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, a thrust relief clearance S of the front side thrust relief 82F at the inner end portion of the half thrust bearing 8 (that is, a clearance surrounded by the surface of the front side thrust relief 82F of the half thrust bearing 8, the imaginary surface obtained by extending the sliding surface 81 over the surface of the front side thrust relief 82F, and the plane containing the circumferential end surfaces of the half thrust bearing 8) is smaller than the thrust relief clearance S of the rear side thrust relief 82R. Accordingly, the lubrication oil is inhibited from flowing into the thrust relief clearance of the front side thrust relief 82F, and thus is hardly discharged to the outside. Therefore, the clearance formed by the inner circumferential surface of the half thrust bearing, the surface of the journal portion 11 of the crankshaft, the thrust collar surface 12 of the crankshaft, and the axial end surface of the half bearing 7 tends to be filled with the lubrication oil, while the lubrication oil also flows to the sliding surface under the effect of centrifugal force during the lubrication oil is transferred toward the front side in the circumferential direction with the thrust collar surface 12 of the rotating crankshaft. As a result, in the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, the lubrication oil is easily supplied to the sliding surface 81 not only in an area close to the thrust relief 82R on the rear side, but also in the entire area.

Further, by the configuration in which the crush relief length of the half bearing 7 is longer than the thrust relief length on the front side, the lubrication oil flowing out of the crush relief clearance (the clearance formed by the crush relief on the front side of the half bearing 7 in the shaft rotational direction which crush relief is in a position corresponding to the front side thrust relief 82F of the half thrust bearing 8) is inhibited from flowing through the thrust relief clearance of the front side thrust relief 82F to the outside. Accordingly, at the area close to the circumferential end surface 83 on the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction of the half thrust bearing 8, the clearance formed by the inner circumferential surface of the half thrust bearing, the surface of the journal portion 11 of the crankshaft, the thrust collar surface 12 of the crankshaft, and the axial end surface of the half bearing is easily filled with the lubrication oil.

During the operation of the internal combustion engine, the deformation of the crankshaft (deflection in the axial direction) occurs especially under the operation condition in which the crankshaft is rotated at high speeds, and thereby the vibration of the crankshaft becomes large. The large vibration periodically causes an axial force f in the crankshaft toward the sliding surface 81 of the half thrust bearing 8. The sliding surface 81 of the half thrust bearing 8 receives the axial force f.

In the bearing device 1 of the present invention, even if the axial force f of the crankshaft acts on the half thrust bearing 8, the lubrication oil flown out of the crush relief clearance between the pair of half bearings 7 easily flows into the thrust relief clearance S in large amounts that is formed by the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8, and hardly flows into the thrust relief clearance formed by the front side thrust relief 82F of the half thrust bearing 8, so that a large amount of lubrication oil is fed to the sliding surface 81 as described above. Since the large amount of lubrication oil is supplied, the sliding surface 81 of the half thrust bearing 8 hardly comes into direct contact with the surface of the thrust collar 12 of the crankshaft.

In the half thrust bearing 8 of the embodiment, the thrust relief length L2 of the thrust relief 82R on the rear side is longer than the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F. With respect to the ability of receiving a load, the configuration of the embodiment will be described as compared to a configuration of a conventional thrust bearing in which thrust reliefs with the same length are formed in both circumferential end portions thereof. In the thrust bearing of the conventional half thrust bearing having the thrust reliefs with the same length, if the lengths of the thrust reliefs on both circumferential sides are increased for increasing the amount of lubrication oil flowing into the thrust relief clearance after flowing out of the crush relief clearance of the main bearing (half bearings), the area of the sliding surface of the half thrust bearing is reduced, and thus the ability of the half thrust bearing of receiving the axial load of the crankshaft is decreased. In contrast, in the configuration of the embodiment, the thrust relief length L2 of the thrust relief 82R on the rear side is longer than the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F, in other words, the sliding surface of the conventional half thrust bearing is shifted on the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction, and thus, the configuration of the embodiment does not involve the reduction of the area of the sliding surface 81. As a result, the ability of receiving (bearing) the axial load of the crankshaft is still high in the half thrust bearing 8 of the bearing device 1 of the present invention.

Embodiment 2

Hereinafter, a description will be given, using FIG. 7, for a half thrust bearing 8A having a front side thrust relief 82F and a rear side thrust relief 82R which are another than those in embodiment 1. The parts identical or equal to those in embodiment 1 will be described with the same reference characters.

(Configuration)

The configuration will be described first. The configuration of the half thrust bearing 8A according to the embodiment is generally similar to that in embodiment 1 except for the shapes of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R.

More specifically, a surface of the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8A of the embodiment is constituted by a flat surface, and as shown in FIG. 7, a thrust relief length L2 is configured so as to be minimum (L2I) at the radially inner end portion and maximum (L2O) at the radially outer end portion. A surface of the front side thrust relief 82F is also constituted by a flat surface, and as shown in FIG. 7, a thrust relief length L1 is configured so as to be maximum (L1I) at the radially inner end portion and minimum (L1O) at the radially outer end portion.

On the other hand, other relations such as the relation between the thrust relief lengths L1I and L2I at the inner end portion and the relation between the thrust relief depths RD of the front side thrust relief and the rear side thrust relief are similar to those in embodiment 1.

The other configurations of embodiment 2 are generally similar to those in embodiment 1 and therefore, embodiment 2 has operations and effects similar to those in embodiment 1.

Embodiment 3

Hereinafter, a description will be given, using FIGS. 8 to 10, for a half thrust bearing 8B having a front side thrust relief 82F and a rear side thrust relief 82R which are another than those in embodiments 1 and 2. The parts identical or equal to those in embodiments 1 and 2 will be described with the same reference characters.

(Configuration)

The configuration will be described first. The configuration of the half thrust bearing 8B according to embodiment 3 is generally similar to that in embodiment 1 except for the shapes of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R.

More specifically, a surface of the rear side thrust relief 82R of each half thrust bearing 8B of the embodiment is constituted by a flat surface, and as shown in FIG. 8, a thrust relief length L2 is configured so as to be minimum at the radially inner end portion and maximum at the radially outer end portion. A surface of the front side thrust relief 82F is also constituted by a flat surface, and as shown in FIG. 8, a surface of thrust relief length is configured so as to be minimum at the radially inner end portion and maximum at the radially outer end portion.

FIG. 9 shows the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8B positioned on a rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction, seen in the direction of arrow Y3 in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 shows the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8B positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction, seen in the direction of arrow Y4 in FIG. 8. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the half thrust bearing 8B of the embodiment, unlike embodiments 1 and 2, the rear side thrust relief 82R and the front side thrust relief 82F have the thrust relief depths RD measured from the sliding surface 81 that are maximum (RD1) at the inner end portions and minimum (RD2) at the outer end portions, at the circumferential end surfaces 83 and 83.

As specific dimensions of the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F, the thrust relief depths RD1 at the inner end portions and the thrust relief lengths L1 and L2 of the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F are similar to those in embodiment 1, while the thrust relief depths RD2 at the outer end portions may be 0.15 to 0.5 mm when used for a crankshaft (in which a journal portion diameter is about 30 to 100 mm) of a small internal combustion engine for a passenger car and the like. The above dimensions are, however, merely examples, and the dimensions are not limited to these ranges.

In embodiment 3, the lubrication oil having flown into the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F hardly flows to the outside through the radially outer end portions of the thrust reliefs 82R and 82F, and becomes easily supplied to the sliding surface. The other configurations are generally similar to those in embodiment 1 and therefore embodiment 3 has operations and effects similar to those in embodiment 1.

Embodiment 4

Hereinafter, a description will be given, using FIGS. 11 to 13, for a half thrust bearing 8C having a front side thrust relief 82F and a rear side thrust relief 82R which are another than those in embodiments 1-3. The parts identical or equal to those in embodiments 1-3 will be described with the same reference characters.

(Configuration)

The configuration will be described first. The configuration of the half thrust bearing 8C according to the embodiment is generally similar to that in embodiment 1 except for the shapes of the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R.

FIG. 12 shows a side view of an area near the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8C positioned on a rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction, seen from the inside (in the direction of arrow Y5 in FIG. 11), and FIG. 13 shows a side view of an area near the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8C positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction, seen from the inside (in the direction of arrow Y6 in FIG. 11).

As shown in FIG. 11, in the half thrust bearing 8C of embodiment 4, a surface of the rear side thrust relief 82R is configured by a flat surface adjacent to the sliding surface 81 and a curved surface (arc-shaped surface) which is adjacent to the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8C and is depressed from the sliding surface 81 toward an opposite surface (back face) to be a concave shape, and a thrust relief length L2 is configured so as to be minimum (L2I) at the inner end portion and becomes longer toward the outer end portion.

A surface of the front side thrust relief 82F is configured by a curved surface (arc-shaped surface) depressed from the sliding surface 81 toward the opposite surface (back face) to be a concave shape, and a thrust relief length L1 is configured so as to be constant between the inner end portion and the outer end portion as shown in FIG. 11. The relation between the thrust relief length L2 of the rear side thrust relief 82R and the thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F at the inner end portions are similar to that in embodiment 1.

A thrust relief depth RD of the front side thrust relief 82F at the circumferential end surface 83 and a thrust relief depth RD of the rear side thrust relief 82R at the circumferential end surface 83 are constant over the radial entire length of the thrust reliefs.

A length L2′ of the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R shown in FIG. 12 (a length measured vertically from a plane containing the circumferential end surface 83 of the half thrust bearing 8C) is generally the same as a thrust relief length L1 of the front side thrust relief 82F shown in FIG. 13, and constant between the inner end portion and the outer end portion. The length L2′ of the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R at the inner end portion may be 0.5 to 3.5 mm.

The curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R is formed so that a depth RD′ from the sliding surface 81 to a position where the curved surface portion is connected to the flat surface portion is constant over the entire radial length of the thrust relief. The depth RD′ of the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R from the sliding surface 81 to a position where the curved surface portion is connected to the flat surface portion is preferably 0.005 mm to 0.1 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R and the curved surface of the front side thrust relief 82F may be an arc-shaped surface having the same radius of curvature R. However, the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R and the curved surface of the front side thrust relief 82F are not limited to this, and may be an elliptical arc surface or a free curved surface (free-form surface).

The length L2′ of the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R is not limited to the embodiment, and may be configured so that the length of the curved surface portion becomes longer or shorter from the inner end portion toward the outer end portion of the half thrust bearing.

Also, the flat surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R shown in FIG. 12 close to the sliding surface 81 may be changed to a curved surface having a radius of curvature R2 and bulging from the back face side toward the sliding surface 81 side to be a convex shape, as shown in FIG. 14. Although FIG. 14 shows a curved surface having the radius of curvature R2, it would be understood that the curved surface portion is not limited to this and may have an elliptical arc surface or a free curved surface.

Similarly, the curved surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R shown in FIG. 12 or 14 adjacent to the circumferential end surface 83 may be changed to a flat surface.

Further, the curved surface portion or the flat surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R adjacent to the circumferential end surface 83 may be configured so that a depth RD′ measured from the sliding surface 81 at the position where the curved surface portion or the flat surface portion is connected to the curved surface portion or the flat surface portion close to the sliding surface 81 becomes deeper or shallower from the inner end portion toward the outer end portion of the half thrust bearing 8C.

The surface of the front side thrust relief 82F is preferably configured similarly to the curved surface portion or the flat surface portion of the rear side thrust relief 82R adjacent to the circumferential end surface 83.

In the embodiment, the description has been given for the bearing device 1 using such a type of thrust bearing 10 that the half bearing 7 and the half thrust bearing 8 are separated from each other, however, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention also encompasses a bearing device 1 using such a type of half thrust bearing 8 that the half bearing 7 and the half thrust bearing 8 are integrated.

Embodiments 1-4 of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, however, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention includes design modifications which do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the present invention may be applied to a thrust bearing using a half thrust bearing with a protrusion protruding radially outwardly for positioning and rotation prevention. Also, the circumferential length of the half thrust bearing may be shorter than that of the half thrust bearing 8 shown in embodiment 1, for example, by a predetermined length 51. Also, the half thrust bearing 8 may have an arcuate cutout having a radius R on its inner circumferential surface close to the circumferential end surfaces.

When forming the arcuate cutout with the radius R in this manner, the thrust relief lengths L1 and L2 and the thrust relief depths RD of the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R can be expressed by the lengths with reference to extension lines of upper edges of the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R and the depths with reference to extension surfaces of surfaces of the thrust reliefs 82F and 82R, respectively, that are obtained when the arcuate cutout is not formed.

Similarly, the half thrust bearing 8 may have chamfers along the circumferential direction at the radial outer or inner edge on the sliding surface side. In that case, the thrust relief lengths and the thrust relief depths at the inner end portion and the outer end portion can be expressed by thrust relief lengths and thrust relief depths at positions of inner and outer diameter side end portions of the half thrust bearing, that would exist when the chamfers is not formed.

Further, as emphatically shown in FIG. 16, oil grooves 81 a may be formed on a sliding surface 81 of a half thrust bearing 8D so that each oil groove 81 has a recessed shape formed by combining the front side thrust reliefs 82F and the rear side thrust reliefs 82R of the present invention. It is to be noted that, although one half thrust bearing has two oil grooves 81 a on the sliding surface 81 in the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the half thrust bearing may have one, or three or more oil grooves. Also, although the oil grooves 81 a in FIG. 16 are illustrated as having a recessed shape formed by combining the front side thrust relief 82F and the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing 8C shown in FIG. 11 as an example, the shape of the oil grooves 81 a is not limited to this.

Above embodiments have been described for the case where one bearing device 1 uses two half thrust bearings 8 of the present invention, however, the present invention is not limited to this. The desired effect can also be obtained by using the half thrust bearing 8 of the present invention on either of the axial end surfaces of the bearing housing, and a thrust bearing with thrust reliefs of a conventional or other configuration on the other end surface.

Alternatively, the bearing device 1 of the present invention may adopt the half thrust bearing 8 of the present invention on either of the axial end surfaces of the bearing housing, and a half thrust bearing having the same shape as that of the half thrust bearing 8 on the other axial end surface (in that case, the rear side thrust relief 82R of the half thrust bearing of the present invention is positioned on a front side in the crankshaft rotational direction).

Further, in the embodiments, although the half thrust bearing 8 is disposed on a side of the cylinder block 2 constituting the bearing housing 4, the half thrust bearing 8 may be disposed on a side of the bearing cap 3 in the bearing device 1.

Still further, in the above described embodiments, the half thrust bearing consisting of the back metal layer, the bearing alloy layer and the resin slide layer is described, but the invention is not limited thereto, and may be replaced with a half thrust bearing consisting of a bearing alloy layer and a resin slide layer. 

1. A bearing device for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a crankshaft; a pair of half bearings for supporting a journal portion of the crankshaft, crush reliefs being formed on an inner circumferential surface of each half bearing and adjacent to both circumferential ends of the half bearing; a bearing housing having a retaining hole for retaining the pair of half bearings, the retaining hole being formed to penetrate through the bearing housing; and one half thrust bearing having a semi-annular shape that is arranged adjacent to the retaining hole on each axial end surface of the bearing housing, each half thrust bearing being configured by a bearing alloy layer and a resin slide layer, or by a back metal layer, a bearing alloy layer and a resin slide layer, the resin slide layer constituting a slide surface receiving an axial force of the crankshaft, wherein at least one of the half thrust bearings comprises thrust reliefs on a front side and a rear side in a crankshaft rotational direction, the thrust reliefs being arranged adjacent to both circumferential end portions of a sliding surface receiving the axial force, and being formed so that a wall thickness of the half thrust bearing is made thinner toward the circumferential end surfaces of the thrust bearing, and a thrust relief length at an inner end portion of the thrust relief positioned on the rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction is larger than a thrust relief length at an inner end portion of the thrust relief positioned on the front side in the crankshaft rotational direction.
 2. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein both of the half thrust bearings comprise the thrust reliefs on the front side and the rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction.
 3. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust relief on the rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction is formed so that the thrust relief length at an inner end portion of the half thrust bearing is longer than a crush relief length at an axial end portion of a crush relief of the half bearing that is correspondingly arranged to the thrust relief.
 4. The bearing device according to claim 3, wherein a formula: L2≧CL×1.5 is satisfied, where the thrust relief length at the inner end portion of the thrust relief on the rear side in the crankshaft rotational direction is L2, and the crush relief length at the axial end portion of the crush relief of the half bearing that is correspondingly arranged to the thrust relief is CL.
 5. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust relief on the front side of the half thrust relief in the crankshaft rotational direction is formed so that the thrust relief length at an inner end portion is shorter than a crush relief length at an axial end portion of a crush relief of the half bearing that is correspondingly arranged to the thrust relief.
 6. The bearing device according to claim 5, wherein a formula: L1×1.5≦CL is satisfied, where the thrust relief length at the inner end portion of the thrust relief on the front side of the half thrust bearing in the crankshaft rotational direction is L1, and a crush relief length at an axial end portion of a crush relief of the half bearing that is correspondingly arranged to the thrust relief is CL.
 7. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a thrust relief depth of each thrust relief at the circumferential end surface is constant over the entire length in the radial direction of the thrust relief.
 8. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a thrust relief depth of each thrust relief at the circumferential end surface is maximum at the inner end portion of the thrust relief and is made shallower toward an outer end portion of the thrust relief.
 9. The bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust relief length of the thrust relief positioned on the rear side of each half thrust bearing in the crankshaft rotational direction is minimum at the inner end portion of the thrust relief and is made longer toward an outer end portion, and the thrust relief length of the thrust relief positioned on the front side of each half thrust bearing in the crankshaft rotational direction is constant from the inner end portion to the outer end portion of the thrust relief. 